Ground effect vehicle

ABSTRACT

A ground effect vehicle having a downwardly blowing fan mounted on anti-torque van structure to blow air into a plenum chamber within the vehicle. The plenum chamber increases in width and height toward the rear and has a central rear outlet giving a nozzle effect, the expanding air exhausting through the outlet to provide propulsion. At opposite sides of the outlet are control outlets, which are adjustable collectively and differentially for thrust and directional control. A peripheral horizontal flange around the lower edge of the vehicle guides the outflow of air and adds to stability. In model form the entire frame structure of the vehicle can be made as a unitary thin shell molding.

Unite States atent [151 3,687,217

Mueller Aug. 29, 1972 [54] GROUND EFFECT VEHICLE 3,078,939 2/1963Bollum, Sr. ..180/120 X [72] Inventor: Leonard E. Mueller, San Diego,

- Calm Snmary ixzmzlnlirgA. Harry Levy tt ne ar r wn [73] Assignee: CarlR. Brown, San Diego, Calif. a or y 0 P Interest [57] ABSTRACT [22]Filed: 1969 A ground effect vehicle having a downwardly blowing [21]Appl. No.: 881,957 fan mounted on anti-torque van structure to blow airinto a plenum chamber within the vehicle. The plenum chamber increasesin width and height toward (gill ISO/1225610834 the rear and has acentral rear outlet giving a nozzle Q n [58] Fleld of Search "180/ 126to provide propulsion. At opposite sides of the outlet R f CM arecontrol outlets, which are adjustable collectively e erences anddifferentially for thrust and directional control. A UNITED STATESPATENTS peripheral horizontal flange around the lower edge of thevehicle guides the outflow of air and adds to sta- 10,996 I 1/1963Dahlman "180/116 X bility. ln model form the entire frame structure ofthe 1g; ggi 1 vehicle can be made as a unitary thin shell molding. son3,336,995 8/1967 Farb et a1. ..l80/l20 5 Claims, 5 Drawing FiguresPATENTElJwczs 1912 saw 1 0F 2 INVENTOR. LEONARD E. MUELLER TTORN E YPAIENTEDmczs m2 3.887217 sum 2 OF 2 INVENTOR. LEONARD E. MUELLER MamATTORNEY GROUND EFFECT VEHICLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In groundeflect vehicles of the plenum chamber type, lift is provided by thecushion of air in the plenum chamber, which exhausts peripherally, andpropulsion can be obtained by diverting part of the air or by separatethrust means. Ducts have been used to carry air to various nozzles fordirectional control, but efficiency is low and the structure becomescomplex. The air exhausting around the lower peripheral edge or skirt ofthe vehicle tends to roll and become turbulent, the vehicle beingunstable and having the tendency to slip horizontally on the slightestdisturbance of balance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The ground effect vehicle described herein is asimple plenum chamber type, but has novel features which improvestability and propulsion efficiency. Substantially the entire body ofthe vehicle forms a plenum chamber, which increases in width and heighttoward the rear to cause expansion of air in that direction through arear outlet, resulting in a nozzle effect. The rearward ejection of airprovides propulsion thrust, which is augmented r modified fordirectional control by adjustable outlet flaps on each side of theprimary outlet. To add to the propulsion flow the thrust axis of the airpumping fan is inclined slightly to the rear. Stability of the vehicleis enhanced by a peripheral outwardly extending flange on the lower edgeof the body, which guides the outflowing air in a generally flat sheetin the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. The torque of the fan isopposed by anti-torque vanes incorporated into the fan supportstructure, directly in the high velocity air flow.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a ground effectvehicle having improved stability and propulsion characteristics. Otherobjects and many advantages of this invention will become more apparentupon a reading of the following detailed description and an examinationof the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like partsthroughout and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of thevehicle.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3- 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of the vehicle.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5- 5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The vehicle as shown is in amodel configuration, molded, pressed, or otherwise formed as a unitarythin shell structure, but could obviously be built up in any suitablemanner. The hollow body has a narrow nose portion 12, diverging to arear body 14 of gradually increasing width and height toward the rear,the body being upwardly domed and completely open on the underside. Theexact configuration of the body is not critical, a forward cabin l6 andrear fins 18 and 20 being indicated to stiffen the structure and addrealism to the appearance. At the rear the body has a downwardly andrearwardly inclined flat wall 22, with a large central outlet 24extending to the lower edge of the wall.

In the central portion of body 10 is a circular duct 26, having asmoothly curved annular inlet lip 28 and extending down into the body.Below duct 26 is a cruciform structure formed by arms 30 joined at acentral platform 32, and suspended on post portions 34 extendingdownwardly from the lower edge of the duct. The platform 32 provides amounting for the power unit 36, shown in broken line in FIGS. 1 and 2.The power unit is shown as a small internal combustion engine of thetype used in model aircraft and drives a downwardly thrusting propeller38, whose plane of rotation is at or slightly above the lower edge 39 ofthe duct 26. To counteract thetorque of the propeller, anti-torque vanes40 are incorporated into the arms 30 and post portions 34, directly inthe propeller slipstream. Air is thus deflected outwardly below the ductto fill the plenum chamber 42 formed by the entire underside of thebody. To initiate airflow toward the rear for propulsion, the platform32 is inclined to direct the propeller thrust axis slightly rearwardly,an inclination of a few degrees being sufficient.

With the power unit 36 in operation, the air cushion developed in plenumchamber 42 lifts the vehicle a short distance above the surface and airspills out around the periphery of the body. Some lift is developed bythe inward flow of air over the domed body and the curved lip 28 of theduct. Stability of the vehicle is greatly enhanced by a substantiallyflat peripheral flange 44 projecting outwardly from the lower edge ofthe body, the flange being interrupted only at outlet 24. The flangeguides the airflow outwardly in a generally flat sheet clear of thevehicle and provides a uniform cushion effect with minimum turbulence.

Due to the rearward enlargement of the cross sectional area of theplenum chamber, the air expands toward the rear of the vehicle and aportion exhausts through outlet 24, providing propulsion thrust.

To give the vehicle some degree of control, other than speed control ofthe power unit, wall 22 has an opening 46 on each side of outlet 24,each opening being provided with a flap 48 hinged at the top. In thesimple form shown, perforations 50 are indicated along the top of eachflap to facilitate bending. It will be obvious that mechanical hingescould be used and suitable actuating means installed to operate theflaps. Open or closing both flaps 48 equally, propulsive thrust iscorrespondingly increased or decreased. Unequal opening of the flapswill result in differential thrust and provide directional control ofthe vehicle.

Operating height of the vehicle above the surface will depend on thevolumetric flow of air pumped into plenum chamber 42 by the propeller38. The vehicle is capable of travelling over any surface whoseirregularities are not large enough to physically impede the vehicle.Even at low power and correspondingly low surface clearance, the vehicleis stable due to the uniform cushion flow guided by flange 44. Thetapered, somewhat wedge shaped body, which is widened toward the rearand has inwardly inclined sides as shown, has a self-correcting effectto yawing or skidding forces which enhances lateral stability.

Having described my invention, 1 now claim: 1. A ground effect vehiclecomprising, a hollow body having an open lower portion and defining aplenum chamber therein, a duct in the central portion of said body,extending downwardly into said plenum chamber, driven, downwardlythrusting propeller means mounted in said duct, the lower edge of saidbody having a substantially flat, outwardly extending peripheral flowguiding flange, the cross sectional area of said plenum chamberincreasing progressively rearwardly, the rear of said body having anoutlet therein for propulsive thrust, and the rear portion of said bodyhaving openings on opposite sides of said outlet, each of said openingshaving an adjustable flap therein.

2. A ground effect vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said bodyincreases in width and height toward the rear, the rear portion of thebody having a wall with said air outlet substantially central therein.

3. A ground effect vehicle according to claim 1, and includinganti-torque vanes mounted below said duct in the slipstream of saidpropeller means.

4. A ground effect vehicle according to claim 3, wherein saidanti-torque vanes include post portions depending from said duct,inwardly extending arm portions, and a platform interconnecting saidarms, said propeller means being mounted on said platform.

5. A ground efi'ect machine according to claim 4, wherein the thrustaxis of said propeller means is inclined downwardly and rearwardly.

1. A ground effect vehicle comprising, a hollow body having an openlower portion and defining a plenum chamber therein, a duct in thecentral portion of said body, extending downwardly into said plenumchamber, driven, downwardly thrusting propeller means mounted in saidduct, the lower edge of said body having a substantially flat, outwardlyeXtending peripheral flow guiding flange, the cross sectional area ofsaid plenum chamber increasing progressively rearwardly, the rear ofsaid body having an outlet therein for propulsive thrust, and the rearportion of said body having openings on opposite sides of said outlet,each of said openings having an adjustable flap therein.
 2. A groundeffect vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said body increases inwidth and height toward the rear, the rear portion of the body having awall with said air outlet substantially central therein.
 3. A groundeffect vehicle according to claim 1, and including anti-torque vanesmounted below said duct in the slipstream of said propeller means.
 4. Aground effect vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said anti-torquevanes include post portions depending from said duct, inwardly extendingarm portions, and a platform interconnecting said arms, said propellermeans being mounted on said platform.
 5. A ground effect machineaccording to claim 4, wherein the thrust axis of said propeller means isinclined downwardly and rearwardly.